Messageboard - Transportation

NOTE: You are viewing an archived version of the Columbus Underground forums/messageboard. As of 05/22/16 they have been closed to new comments and replies, but will remain accessible for archived searches and reference. For more information CLICK HERE

hugh59 said:
Well freaking great. They have already demolished several integral portions of the old inner belt system…what are they going to do now? Leave it incomplete. I wish they had never started.

I believe that the project that has already started (670/71 interchange) is fully funded. The next steps (East and South Innerbelt, and the 70/71 interchanges) are what they are talking about. They used the design-build method in order to allow this type of delay, but to me it seems quite similar to the delays to complete 670 and the Spring Sandusky (315/670) interchange. Columbus seems to have a habit of leaving highway work half(assed) completed. This time though it seems that the state has no interest in new infrastructure projects in the entire state. My cynical side thinks that any projects connected to Oil/Gas exploration/exploitation will have an easier time finding funds.

Right on, the project as it is now has been, as Walker said, stripped of almost all of its positive attributes. By kicking the can down the road, the possibility remains open for a more successful design to emerge, instead of sinking 1.5 billion into a piece of poop we’d be stuck with for the next 50 years, if not forever.

Good lord, I was speachless when I read those dates. This turn of events will have its positives and negatives.

1. There won’t be too many neighborhoods effected by this in terms of their ongoing revitalization. As for Liberty Place, who knows.

2. If they do decide to move forward 13 years from now, not only might the project be better conceived, its also likely to cost vastly more.

3. Now that this debacle has happened, it’s going to be pretty damn tough to get any light rail, streetcar, commuter rail project up and running. All trust has been flushed down the john.

4. Gas in 13 years will likely be outrageous, thus traffic may actually be lighter through the split and priorties may change.

5. Even when 670/71 is completed, I don’t think its going to do much. Reconstructing our highways isn’t the way to solve traffic problems. Making easier to drive only encourages more driving. The problem is with the lack of alternate transportation and densely built, walkable communities.

6. It would have been a wast of 1.5 billion anyway. Hopefully, some college grads get elected 13 years from now with a completely different mindset.

Walker said:
Like where? The only hiatus on building I am aware of was the second phase of the Liberty Place Apartments in the Brewery District, and I heard that no-build order was recently lifted.

I thought I remembered people talking about the project potentially hurting current/ future development.. Like along Long Street.. I thought there was some issue about the area potentially getting cut off from downtown during reconstruction..

Personally, I think this may hold back some future development in the KLD. We would all like to see some better bridging of that neighborhood with downtown. The previous plan had a lot of holes, but I am fearful that the next iteration will be even more utilitarian as highway money becomes even more tight.

JBro said:
I really think that they are going to use this as a reason to privatize/lease the turnpike and then use the one time money to restore some of these projects. They’ve said many times that they want to spread the money statewide when they do privatize it.

I suspect the same. Politicians seem to like these long term leases, then they take the lump sum payment and blow it all in one term, leaving higher maintenance costs for the new stuff and less future revenue.

jpizzow said:
Good lord, I was speachless when I read those dates. This turn of events will have its positives and negatives.

1. There won’t be too many neighborhoods effected by this in terms of their ongoing revitalization. As for Liberty Place, who knows.

2. If they do decide to move forward 13 years from now, not only might the project be better conceived, its also likely to cost vastly more.

3. Now that this debacle has happened, it’s going to be pretty damn tough to get any light rail, streetcar, commuter rail project up and running. All trust has been flushed down the john.

4. Gas in 13 years will likely be outrageous, thus traffic may actually be lighter through the split and priorties may change.

5. Even when 670/71 is completed, I don’t think its going to do much. Reconstructing our highways isn’t the way to solve traffic problems. Making easier to drive only encourages more driving. The problem is with the lack of alternate transportation and densely built, walkable communities.

6. It would have been a wast of 1.5 billion anyway. Hopefully, some college grads get elected 13 years from now with a completely different mindset.

I’m your man, I’d use that 1.5 billion and invest it in public transportation, art, and fixing neighborhoods.

cbus11 said:
Personally, I think this may hold back some future development in the KLD. We would all like to see some better bridging of that neighborhood with downtown. The previous plan had a lot of holes, but I am fearful that the next iteration will be even more utilitarian as highway money becomes even more tight.

The section of the project adjacent to the KLD is already under construction and scheduled to be completed in 2 years. The 2nd & 3rd phases which are affected with this delay are more aligned with Olde Towne East and the Children’s Hospital area.

From the Dispatch: “Costs are rising, Wray said, and a decline in gasoline consumption means less gas-tax money to pay for it all. And political standoffs in Washington over a new highway-spending bill make federal help uncertain.”

Gasoline usage is going to continue to go down. Sooner or later, gas taxes will have to rise, tolls will need to be implemented, as well as various other usage fees. Or else, how is our infrastructure going to be fixed. People will have to accept it and adjust to the changes. This is only the beginning of alot of infrastructure pain and suffering. Who did they (“they” meaning pretty much everybody over the past few decades and even now) think was going to pay for the maintenance of all of those roads? Oh wait, they didn’t think or have the foresight. Nobody has the political will to stand up and say enough is enough already. Sad thing is, we continue to build roads to nowhere. Wake up America? We cannot continue to cater to the car culture. That is part of what has gotten us into this mess. We have built so many roads that it is now almost impossible to pay for them. This will not be a happy ending, no matter where you live.

Does anyone know the specifics of the ~$1.5 billion price tag? From the press release I could only find an estimated $616 million for Phases 2, 3, 4, and 5 combined. Phase 1 appears to have cost $200 million. What am I missing?